Up In Flames
by secretfanficlover
Summary: Aurors Hermione and Tonks go undercover on a mission and end up falling in love.


**This story is based on characters and situations created and owned by JK Rowling, various publishers including but not limited to Bloomsbury Books, Scholastic Books and Raincoast Books, and Warner Bros., Inc. No money is being made and no copyright or trademark infringement is intended.**

* * *

Word Count: 1624

Title: Up In Flames

Warnings: Language, Suggestive content

* * *

The Golden Snitch

[Name] Crissie

[School] Uagadou

[House] Ogyinae

Nautical Ship Challenge: Implausible Canon -15 Points- Hermione Granger and Nymphadora Tonks - H.M.S. Books and Looks

Quote of The Week: 'I didn't strike the match, but you still blamed me when you got burnt.' –J. Glynn

* * *

Summer Camp

Week 3: Write about the Aurors on a case.

* * *

"We suspect Malfoy is throwing a party to try and get hold of his father's old colleagues, if you both understand my meaning," Harry explained to Hermione and Tonks. "He could be trying to get them back together, he didn't take his father's death by Dementor's Kiss very well, and some of the others are worried he might be planning something sinister."

"Oh fuck, what can I do?" Tonks said slightly sarcastically.

"We need two Aurors to pose as a couple and attend the dance at the Manor."

"You want us to pretend to be a couple?" Tonks said raising her eyebrows at him.

They both said nothing else, giving him a curious stare as if to test if he was being serious.

"Come on, ladies, I need your help," Harry insisted to the two female Aurors. Harry was not above admitting they were both incredibly intelligent, and begging if needed.

In all honesty he had more than one motive for sending them in. He suspected there was some hidden feelings between the two partners. He had never been above breaking rules, and he believed Hermione and Tonks both deserved some happiness after everything that happened. He felt a spark between them, and wanted to nudge them in the right direction.

He had told Shacklebolt of his suspicion that the two ladies working with him were attracted to each other, and as much as Shacklebolt wanted to argue with them getting together, Harry Potter still got what he wanted.

"So, you're serious?" Hermione said looking between him and Tonks, he had been quiet for a while so it seemed like he wasn't planning on saying more.

"Yeah, Tonks can change her appearance and it would be simple enough to sneak you two into the party to find out if Malfoy is up to something."

"Harry, the war is over," Hermione said to him with a curious expression.

"Then you shouldn't need to worry, if you believe he isn't up to something then fine. However, we have our orders that we need to investigate this party and see if it's a front for something more sinister," Harry insisted.

"You sound like a fortune cookie," Tonks said crossly. She didn't mind the mission as such, but the way Harry was handling it left something to be desired. She was sporting some long purple locks at the moment and Hermione couldn't help but think. 'Books and looks.'

Tonks didn't mind set objectives, but this seemed more like a stakeout, and she didn't like those, she was always professional but when there was nothing happening she seemed to notice how pretty Hermione's hair looked pulled back, or how flattering her jeans looked when she was in Muggle clothes.

Harry knew Hermione would agree, so he focused his attention on Tonks. Tonks titled her black tinted sunglasses like a rock star and said: "Fine, suppose we'll save your ass this time, Potter."

Tonks and Hermione decided on their cover and got ready for the night's events. Neither one was above a fake relationship for show, being a spy often required that level of commitment. They have done it before; Tonks was a great asset in that regard with her being able to change appearance at will.

Hermione was dressed up in sky blue robes and heels to match; her hair was glamoured straight and blonde, in a short bob. Tonks was of average height for a man, not very attractive, with sandy brown hair. Tonks was wearing black robes with black boots underneath.

Tonks gave Hermione a single crimson flower.

"You didn't need to do that," Hermione said as they left.

"I'll do whatever it takes," Tonks replied taking her hand. "You look great, but heels aren't very practical on a mission," Tonks insisted with a grin. She knew her partner could be pretty clumsy.

"Well, let's hope we don't need to make a quick exit," Hermione responded. She knew Tonks was just teasing her.

It was night time when the two arrived at the Manor. They had little trouble getting in, especially after Hermione did some convincing work of insisting that they had been forgotten off the list and "Mr Malfoy would certainly not be happy," Hermione added. They were lucky Crabbe and Goyle were posted as guards, since they were definitely all brawn and no brains.

Tonks smirked when the Goyle's back was turned to open the iron gates and squeezed Hermione's hand. When the two got into the lavish Manor; Tonks lead Hermione by the arm.

"Can I buy you a drink?" Tonks asked. Hermione nodded, she was on edge, if they got recognized they were surrounded by known Death Eaters that evaded Azkaban. Hermione took a swig of her drink and he partner recognized her nerves. Under the guise of playing with Hermione's hair Tonks moved closer and put her hair behind her ear. "Relax," Tonks whispered kissing Hermione's cheek.

"I can't be around them," she whispered back.

"I've got you, love," Tonks insisted.

They walked around mingling without arousing suspicion until Hermione tripped over her long blue robes and almost fell, but Tonks caught her and said: "Don't need you falling for me again, love." This made some of the Death Eaters in attendance chuckle. Hermione only smiled and felt her heart racing.

"We need to go look around," Hermione said softly. They slipped quickly from the main ballroom and spent some time looking at the rest of the house. It seemed Draco kept his father's study locked. "Alohomora," Tonks said pointing her wand at the lock. The two of them slipped inside unnoticed since the entire party was in the ballroom.

"I don't see anything," Hermione said ruffling through the papers on the desk. As soon as they heard the door creak open they knew they thought they were caught, so Tonks did the first thing she could think off, she pulled Hermione into her arms and kissed her passionately, trying to make it appear as if they had snuck off for some privacy.

When Draco and Crabbe opened his father's study to find two people making out, at first he wasn't suspicious. Although they were a bunch of Death Eaters, he knew for a fact some of them could be just as passionate as any other couple in love. Other than the obvious exception of his Aunt Bellatrix Lestrange, most of them were only power hungry and not completely crazy.

Then he realised he didn't recognize them as his father's colleagues.

Draco coughed to get their attention.

"Pardon me, but I seem to have forgotten your names," Draco said with a sneer.

"Mr and Mrs Eldridge, my guard said, is that right?"

The two looked at each other and Hermione mimed: "Okay, so how do we get out of here?"

"Yes," Tonks said getting their attention while she gestured to Hermione to open the window behind her back.

"We have come to pay our respects, Mr Malfoy," Tonks continued. "We know your father receiving the Dementor's Kiss was very tragic to you and your mother."

"Strange, I don't remember sending an invitation," he replied.

"Not to worry, we heard off the event and just had to see what you had done with the place," Tonks said, knowing they had been caught, they both edged towards the now open window.

"Have you done much remodeling?" she added.

"Not as much yet," Draco responded haughtily.

"How did they get in without being on the list?" he added, glaring at his bodyguards.

They managed to jump out the window before curses were sent flying in their direction. Before they hit the ground Harry's broom caught them and they flew off.

"Cheers, love! The cavalry's here!" Tonks said haughtily at the furious Malfoy glaring from the window at them, leaving Draco blinking in confusion.

The two of them returned and when they realised the mission turned out to be a bust and it seemed like Malfoy wasn't up to anything suspicious, Harry felt a bit stupid.

"Sorry ladies, I know there has always been something about him that leaves me on edge," Harry admitted.

Hermione sat in the darkness of the kitchen at grimmauld place. She knew that what had happened never should have, she had broken the first rule of going undercover: Never fall in love. She wanted to blame Tonks, Harry, anyone but herself, yet she knew that she was the one who fell, head over heels.

"She is so… perfect," Hermione said. She sat with a book in front of her in the darkness. She charmed the red crimson flower and it was lying inside the book, used as a bookmark. She heard a noise then lit the candle in front of her.

"Who's perfect?" she heard Tonks before she saw her appear in the shadow of the candle light.

"It doesn't matter though, does it? Aurors aren't allowed to fall in love," she said with a sigh.

"I didn't strike the match, but you still blamed me when you got burnt," Tonks replied.

"What do you…" Hermione started then she realised what Tonks meant.

"That kiss was real," Tonks admitted reluctantly.

"It was?" Hermione asked, stunned. "You know what that means right, if we do this?"

"Yes, and if you don't mind, Mrs Elridge, I'm about to kiss you again," Tonks spoke confidently and moved suddenly. She pushed Hermione up against the wall, kissing her passionately. Hermione giggled and kissed her back, knowing they were wrong, but that didn't stop them.

The candle had burnt down to the wick, and the sun was rising into the kitchen window where the two witches lay asleep in each others arms.

"I knew it," Harry said to himself and let them wake up by themselves.


End file.
